This invention relates to apparatus and a method for supporting, without marring an article such as an ophthalmic frame, which softens while being heated and which is subject to being marred while being heated.
The heating device this subject matter is concerned with, is radiant type heating or convectional hot air heating or both.
Particularly in radiant type heating are we concerned with the distance the object or article is from the radiation source. Since the temperature varies inversely to the square of the distance we want to be at a certain place relatively to the infrared generator so as not to be too cool or get too hot. Too close might mean scorching at a certain temperature setting of the machine while too far away would mean slower heating. Small variations in position when heating by convection makes little temperature difference and is not critical.
In radiant heating to keep the article close also means that physical contact with the heater parts is likely. This can mean heat dents, scratching and marring of the article, thus damaging it to some degree. The operator then tends to keep the article too far away or he sets the machine to a low setting thus taking longer to heat and at times underheating the article.
The present invention can accomplish the close positioning of the article to the radiator in the heater and at the same time eliminate any marring or damage to the article.
A prime object is to support a heat softened article while being exposed to heat without deformation or marring of its surface.
Another object is to provide tens of thousands of upwardly projecting but resilient filaments in carpet like arrangement which individually in supporting never press upwardly hard enough to impress their shape into the soft article and yet in their multitude effort are able to support the whole article.
Another important object is to provide a support which is transparent to infrared rays to allow their transmission past and through the support to the article.
Still another object is to take advantage of the phenomenon of fiber optics to transmit infrared rays to the article being supported through the carpet itself.
A further object is to provide a grid structure which allows free flow of air while serving as a support.
Another object is to support an article at a fixed distance from its radiant heat source to establish uniformity of heating of subsequent articles placed there, with the machine heating at a particular heat setting.